UCC to receive support from USAID for capacity-building programmes
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) is to receive $5.5 million support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for a capacity-building programme in fisheries and coastal management.
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The five-year plan to ensure sustainable fisheries and coastal management through training and research in the country will also ensure the development of adequate infrastructure for research into coastal management.
According to the Vice-Chancellor of the UCC, Prof. Domwini Kuupole, as part of the project, the university would receive support to establish a Centre for Coastal Management, train 10 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) and 20 master’s degree students, and also support 150 undergraduate students.
47th Congregation
Prof. Kuupole was speaking at the fifth session of the 47th Congregation of the School of Graduate Studies at the weekend.
A total of 2,371 students who completed various programmes in the 2013/2014 academic year graduated, with 20 graduating with doctorate degrees.
Prof. Kuupole stated that UCC would soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Rhode Island (URI) in the United States to facilitate the capacity-building initiative, adding that by October this year, the first batch of students would leave for the URI to begin training.
A centre for coastal management would also be established as part of the project.
He indicated that the UCC was currently coordinating 240 graduate programmes, made up of 65 Doctor of Philosophy, 100 Master of Philosophy, 72 master’s, two postgraduate diplomas and one postgraduate certificate.
He said it was impressive that the number of students who graduated from the School of Graduate Studies was increasing.
Graduate studies and development
He reiterated the fact that graduate education was paramount to national growth, as it unlocked doors to hidden knowledge, saying the School of Graduate Studies of the UCC had stepped up postgraduate training to help promote socio-economic, scientific and technological development of the country and Africa.
“Graduate programmes have been streamlined and expanded with the aim to inculcate in students a high level of commitment to intellectual curiosity and enquiry, the acquisition of vigorous research skills and focus and the capacity to apply research findings to social problems,” he stated.
Early bird package
Prof Kuupole said the challenges that confronted graduate studies and made students stay on their programmes for long periods before graduation had been identified.
He stated that with the introduction of the “early bird” package for supervisors and other intervention strategies, those challenges were being eliminated, adding, “Most students are now able to complete their programmes within the stipulated period.”
The Chancellor of the university, Sir Sam Jonah, urged the graduating students to be self-disciplined and take advantage of all opportunities that would come to them to change their lives.
The Chairman of the UCC Governing Council, Nana Sam Brew Butler, advised the graduates to use the knowledge acquired for their benefit and that of the country.